Our Trips » Christmas Markets

Departure Times

Highlights

An amazing weekend in always festive Munich, Germany with the city all dressed up for the holiday season with its festive Christmas markets! ’Tis the season and the holidays with hot spiced wine, holiday treats, nutcrackers and ice skating while taking in the incredible Bavarian atmosphere! And of course they serve beer and all the beerhalls will be packed!    

Itinerary

Thursday - Day 1 Arrival on your own, room check-in available from 3pm (you will be sent exact instructions on how to arrive). Activities start from Friday morning.

*Transportation Package - Depart Florence/Rome with very late arrival to Munich.

Friday - Day 2 Breakfast included.  After breakfast you'll embark on a professionally guided 2.5-hour walking tour that will take you to many of Munich’s major landmarks and highlights, and specifically focus on Munich's centuries old tradition of their Christmas Markets.  During this Christmas market tour you'll also pass by major Munich sights like Frauenkirche, the world-famous Glockenspiel in Marienplatz, and more in the old town!  During this tour you'll stop at various market stalls and also get to try the seasonal delicacy of Lebkuchen (gingerbread cake).  Free rest of day to further explore the Christmas Markets and the old town,  and at night you can head to one of Munich's most famous beerhalls like the Hofbrauhaus for a night of eating & drinking the local lager beer!

Saturday - Day 3 Breakfast included.   9am departure for included trip to Dachau concentration camp and memorial with professionally guided tour.  The camp lies just northeast of the city center (around 25 min travel time), and was the first concentration camp in Nazi Germany, opened in 1933.  Originally meant for political prisoners, it became the model for all subsequent concentration camps and held more than 200,000 prisoners during its 12 years of existence with approx. 41,500 being killed here before the liberation by US forces in 1945.  You'll see the site and learn its history and atrocities with this fascinating guided tour.  Early afternoon arrival back to Munich (trip & tour lasts approx. 5 hours) with rest of the day free. For Saturday night enjoy a traditional beer hall or one of many other great bars or clubs at night, or simply relax.

Sunday - Day 4 Breakfast included. Check out of accommodations (leave your bags in luggage with reception if you have a later departure). Free day with departure on your own  If you have a later departure it's possible to book the optional Neuschwanstein Castle trip (the real life inspiration for the Disney castle, and located in the southern Bavarian Alps).

**Transportation Package - Early afternoon (approx. 1pm) departure back to Florence/Rome with very late evening arrival time.

***Trip Style - This is an independent trip ideal for groups of friends, family, couples, or even for an independent-minded solo traveler. It is designed as a travel & destination package, not solely as a "group trip". You will be on group tours/activities with other travelers and in a room with other travelers if you book the "shared dorm hostel" package (if you book the "private" room package then you of course will be in your own private room). You will however, have independent time between the guided group tours/activities to explore on your own and do as you please, and will receive a detailed info packet by email with numerous recommendations for additional group activities or tours (beyond what is included), sights/museums and food/drink/nightlife info, etc. It's a great balance between guided & included tours/activities and free time so that you have plenty of time on your own to do what you want.